Tuna Casserole is right up there with meatloaf and scalloped potatoes when it comes to comfort food. It’s been a family favorite for generations!
Flaky tuna is tossed with egg noodles, peas, celery, and mushroom soup. We top this with a buttery breadcrumb topping and bake it until it’s bubbly. Serve this easy recipe with some quick Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits and a side salad for the perfect meal!
We love belly warming casserole recipes. From Cheesy Chicken Casserole to Beef Taco Casserole, there is something so comforting about a bubbly warm meal from the oven.
It’s no surprise that this tuna noodle casserole has held its place at the top of so many family favorite recipes. It is easy to make, but it’s affordable, tasty, and versatile. Nearly any leftovers or any kind of veggies can be tossed right in! Be creative with this tuna fish casserole recipe!
It can go from prep to presentation in no time at all! Need a quick potluck entrée for work or a neighborhood event? This is hands down the best tuna noodle casserole recipe out there!
How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole
The best part of this tuna casserole recipe is that it takes minimal effort to put together and once it’s in the oven, toss a simple caesar salad to round out the entire meal. Simply combine the ingredients while the noodles are cooking and mix everything together. Sprinkle on the crumb topping and pop into the oven!
Be sure to cook the noodles ‘al dente’ since they will continue to cook in the oven and you want to avoid mushy noodles! I make this tuna casserole with egg noodles, but you can use any kind of pasta you’d like. We use simple vegetables including onion, celery, and peas. This recipe is great with any veggies including leftover Green Beans, roasted carrots or steamed broccoli.
This tuna casserole recipe can be made ahead of time as well so it’s great to prep now and bake later. The creamy, cheesy, mushroom sauce that will satisfy even the pickiest of palates!
How to Freeze Tuna Casserole
It is super easy to freeze a casserole, before or after it’s cooked! It is important to fully thaw a frozen casserole before putting it in the oven to avoid overcooking some areas and undercooking others, especially if the casserole was uncooked to begin with. Just leave it overnight in the fridge to allow it to thaw safely and then bake until it reaches 165°F.
If the casserole is fully baked, let it cool completely before wrapping it and freezing it. Another great tip is to line assemble the casserole in a foil lined pan and freeze after it’s been fully wrapped and sealed. Save that casserole pan for another use! Properly wrapped and sealed casseroles can be frozen for up to 6 months without damaging flavor or texture.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups egg noodles measured dry *approx 6 ounces
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- ⅔ cup frozen peas thawed
- 1 (5 ounce each) can tuna drained
- 1 (10.5 ounce each) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine topping ingredients and set aside.
- Boil noodles al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Cook onion and celery in butter until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- In a large bowl combine noodles, onion mixture, peas, soup, milk, cheese, tuna and parsley. Mix well.
- Spread into a 2qt casserole dish and top with crumb topping.
- Bake 18-20 minutes or until bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Dinner
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I enjoyed this very much, I also made it with canned chicken and added chopped jalapeños.
Your version sounds delicious Maria!
OMG your Tuna Casserole was the best my family loved it, I followed it exactly this is now my go to recipe thanks for sharing
This recipe is so versitile. I’ve used it with canned chicken with great results. Helps with those eaters that are even pickier than most.
Love it!! Easy to make and simple ingredients. Only thing is it was a little salty
Followed the recipe as written. Excellent tuna casserole. Will make again.
This is my new favorite tuna casserole. Excellent flavor and very easy to make.
This recipe is the best tuna casserole I’ve ever made. I only made a few changes with the ingredients I had on hand, leftover canned peas and 1 cup elbow noodles. Served with sweet corn muffins. Yummy.
Your version sounds delicious Nancy! Thank you for sharing.
The casserole was yummy. My husband loved it. I did add Hatch green chili. Living in the SW we have to spice it up.
I just made this casserole! Delicious! I did add 1 tsp of freshly ground pepper, 1 tsp of onion powder and about 5 dashes of Frank’s Hot Sauce to bowl mix. Perked up the flavor just perfectly. My hubby and I really enjoyed this recipe. I will definitely make again. (I personally love the topping) Thanks so much!
Can u use Golden mushroom soup?
Ok, so this is weird but I’m replying to myself. I did make it with golden mushroom soup and it was good. I also used 2 cans of tuna with chips, cheese & melted butter on top. I spiced it up a bit with seasoned salt, garlic powder and pepper.
Husband approved.
So happy to hear how much everyone liked it!
Excuse the dumb question, but why do you rinse the noodles after boiling them?
The rinsing step cools the noodles so they stop cooking.
To stop the noodles from cooking.
This recipe is dry and very little taste. I won’t me making this version again
It was just okay. Although I did use gluten free pasta and gluten free panko. Was hoping it to come out more delicious based on the reviews.
Thats like saying “I didn’t enjoy Disney, because I want to Afghanistan instead.” If you didn’t follow the recipe, don’t comment on your disappointment.
Comment is spot on, Michael!
Easy Tuna Casserole. Will make it again.
Can I use oat or almond milk instead?
It might change the flavor slightly, but it should taste fine!
Excellent basic tuna casserole recipe. I didn’t have celery so I left it out, other than that I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect. If In doubt, use this recipe!
I’ve never had tuna casserole outside of frozen meals but my family was interested in trying it. Everyone from the baby, to the toddler, to the teenager, to the adults enjoyed this. I’ll definitely make it again.
I forgot to buy the panko bread crumbs so I smashed a cup of potato chips and used a little less melted butter to compensate for the oil in the chips.
I can’t believe I’m just now rating this recipe. I have now made this recipe for years for my family of four and it is always a hit (even with my two littles!). I follow the recipe to a T. It’s super simple to put together on a busy night with things I tend to have in my pantry. I’ve made many tuna casserole recipes and this is definitely my favorite of them all.
Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe Rachel! So glad to hear how much you love it!
Absolutely delicious! I loved how easy to was too. Thank you!
I’m new and trying to be a good chef for my family haha. I just have a question, the parsley for both parts, is it fresh parsley or dried like a seasoning?
You can use either, I often have fresh on hand so I use that. If using dried, you’ll need about 1 teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon. Enjoy!
I used gluten free flour for this recipe and gluten free pinko bread crumbs. Turned out fantastic. Will definitely make again.
So happy to hear that, Patsy! Glad you enjoyed it.
How long should I cook for if I double the recipie?
You shouldn’t have to alter the cooking time by much if at all, Justin. I would check it at the recommended time and possibly add an extra 5 or so minutes at a time until fully cooked.